I first read Lois Lowry’s The Giver in sixth grade. As far as I remember, it was the first book I really cared about since it was also the first time I cared about what happened to the protagonist (which is more than I could say for the vast amounts of Animorphs and Goosebumps stories I used tor read). It was my first dystopian experience. The Giver takes place far in the future where mankind lives in a colorless void (sort of like that De Blob game). Each citizen gets a job when they’re born, and the protagonist Jonas, is destined to become a new Giver. He has to go through several sessions in which the Giver (who’d most likely be played by Bridges in the film since he’s an old guy) implants colors and feelings in Jonas which freak that kid the hell out.
So now I’m extremely excited to tell you that it’s one step closer to getting an adaptation now. Variety reports that Phillip Noyce (that Salt guy) is in talks to direct The Giver, with Jeff Bridges starring instead of his dad. You see, Jeff Bridges bought the rights to The Giver over twenty years ago because his daughter liked the book, and wanted his father to star in it. After going through four or five different scripts, and rumored directors, Jeff Bridges had to fight to get the rights back after he lost them to Warner Bros. After all of those struggles, Bridges is old enough to portray the elderly Giver himself without any cheap CG.
There’s no set date or window at the moment, but I’m still pretty happy about this. I really don’t care how it turns out, I just want it. Besides, it’s pretty rare that I’m happy about something nowadays.
[Variety, via /Film]
